Life in a Glasshouse
by rosekasterborous
Summary: The Doctor and Rose meet under tight circumstances. More specifically, she wished upon a shooting star for him.
1. Prologue

Pete Tyler wasn't wealthy in the sense of money. No, he was rich with the love of his daughter, Rose.

His late wife, Jackie, had insisted on the exotic and unique name. She had hoped that it would reflect their daughter's personality and physicality, and she couldn't have been any more accurate. It's a shame that she couldn't see her dream come true, as disease had taken her away from them.

The government couldn't care for the dying, let alone the ill. Especially if they were low lives like Pete and his family were.

It was a good thing that he had been able to snag a shabby apartment for them to live in, and although the conditions were a little tough, they did more than scrap by. But live still wasn't luxurious.

He and Rose worked in a factory which produced Dalek shells, which payed pretty good if you followed the rules.

"Dad, you alright?" Rose croaked from the living room, and then proceeded to start hacking. She had been ill for a few weeks, and he tried his best to dote on her before he left for work.

"Your cuppa will be done in a minute or two!" He grumbled, wishing he had more high tech appliances. At least they could afford some luxuries, which most were from a few centuries ago. In the 24th century, everything has changed, but mostly it was a majority of the humans leaving Earth. The sun was about to go red giant on them, but Pete didn't have enough money to buy tickets out of here.

"Could you make that minute into seconds? Wait, no, scratch that; could you make that into nanoseconds?"

"Love, I don't have a time machine."

"The Doctor does,"

"The Doctor is a man who would never visit Earth, as all he does is gallop around time and space like it's his own playground, while filming himself and posting it on the wire!"

"You're just jealous," He could hear the mirth in her gravely voice, but all he could was shake his head and deliver her tea.

Crouching down next to her, he pat he unhygienic shiny hair, and kissed her forehead, which was alarmingly warm.

"You coming to work today?"

"I can't, I feel like a elephant is sitting on me..."

"Could you at least resign, you know I could support the both of us, and other people need the job more than you do." Pete got bumped up to Assistant Supervisor, and it payed enough for both of them and some.

"But- what will I do when I'm healthy? I don't want to depend on you all my life!"

"Could you at least think about it?" And with that said, Pete got up, grabbed his coat, and walked out to do his job.

Rose just sipped her tea, and then turned on her intergalactic receiver to watch her favorite "live documentary".

The Doctor.


	2. Hello

_"...and over here you will see one of the noseless dogs on this wonderful planet, Barcelona. Even though they can't smell you, they use telepathy to get a good sense over you..." _The Doctor's gob ran on, and Rose enjoyed it ever so.

Usually her father would grumble that what he was doing was useless, and that humans would never venture so far out just to see strange things. He could grumble all he wanted, but she wasn't to be as close-minded as he was.

She really could use another cuppa, but she was aching all over.

While she continued to watch her beloved Doctor, a rumbling sound started to catch her attention. She chalked it up to construction, but it became more rough, and the couch was beginning to shake.

"Are you kidding me?" She moaned, and tried to get up. If there was an earthquake, she needed to find shelter, and fast.

Dragging herself off the couch, she picked up her reciever, and began to walk out the door. Dizziness and nausea were overtaking her senses, and she felt like she wanted to collapse. The Doctor's voice that emitted off of the receiver slightly comforted her, and she decided to move along. Other people were cramming the stairway, as they were looking up at the sky and talking while walking.

Swaying, she decided to see what the commotion was all about.

"Excuse me, coming through." She mumbled as she shoved along all the people. The Doctor's voice was becoming softer, until she couldn't hear it anymore. Looking at her receiver, she saw that it had lost the signal. Oh well.

Looking up at the sky, she saw several missiles heading towards different parts of the town. She could only assume this was some sort of terrorism, and wished she could be whisked away from Earth, and up in the stars with the Doctor.

Now she felt even worse, and she was sure she was going to faint.

"I-I need you... to stand... back." She told the people behind her, her voice sounding so far away.

"Why?" A man behind her grumbled, but that was all he could argue with her, because he felt himself being toppled over by someone else.

"Out of the way!" A tenor voice called out, and he caught Rose just before she hit the ground. Kissing her forehead, he picked her up, and swaned off. The neighbors just gaped like a now-extinct fish.

* * *

"Ugh, my head- it's killing me!" She groaned out and opened her eyes. A bright blue light blinded her, but she also sensed familiarity with the color. It was too familiar.

"Hey, is that a sonic screwdriver?" Sitting up quickly, she looked directly at the man who was holding the device.

Once she set eyes on him, she thought she arrived in heaven.

"Doctor, is that you?"

"Hello, Rose Tyler!" Instantly, he hugged her tightly and breathed her in. Oh, he was so excited that he would make sure that their story began. "Sorry I was late for tea, I didn't turn those minutes into nanoseconds, but in fact, hours."

"That's nice and all, but how do you know me?"

"I'm doing a favor of sorts, but it is in both of our benefits!" Holding her hand he began to walk her down one of the corridors in the TARDIS. She has watched his show many times, but she knew that going inside the TARDIS' rooms was like playing a wildcard, unless you were telepathic like the Doctor.

"So, where are we going? Woman Wept, Raxacoricofallapatorious, New Earth-"

"We're not going anywhere in the state your in." Opening the door, he led inside what seemed to be a med bay. Oh how she dreaded getting shots. Shivering not from the cold, but because of fear, she clung onto the Doctor a little tighter.

"You've got to be kidding me, _Doc." _Emphasizing the nickname he hated, she had hoped that he would change his mind. He was a doctor, after all, and just because he had an opinion on her condition didn't necessarily mean it was accurate. Although she had tried to annoy him, she wasn't sure that she could deter his judgement, as he was quite the stubborn person. Hopefully, her mother's genes would come into play.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"You have a face that tells me you are." Smugly, she began circling around him. This wasn't done smoothly, in fact, after a few seconds she became acquainted with the ground.

"And the position you're in tells me you aren't near a plight that would allow you to venture the unknown."

"Touche, Doc, touche."


	3. Tea, anyone?

**A/N: I'm so, so sorry for the slight delay! I was loaded with homework, and I also wanted to make the next few chapters a bit more long, so bear with me here! Enjoy :)**

* * *

"What is your medical history?" The Doctor asked as he helped Rose settle onto his examining table. Tremors ran through her warm body as the cold table touched her skin. The Doctor's fingers were almost as cold, but she chalked that up to him being a slightly reptilian type of specimen. Soon enough, the steel table became a fluffy bed, and she could only assume that the Doctor put in a word for her. She could only hope that she was in the TARDIS' good graces.

"Well, it's not that good. I could give you a very long list, and even that wouldn't suffice."

"How about close family ties?" He began using his sonic screwdriver to run some scans on her. Although it would be hard to find what was wrong with her, he knew he would find out; after all, his future self reassured him.

"My mum died when I was just a baby, so no pity, yeah? My nan died from the same disease she had, and her mum died from it too, so it was a hereditary thing I guess..."

"How old were they?"

"They all died at the same age of 30. It's common on Earth now, their disease. They named it the X Plague, and there's no cure because there isn't enough funding. Nowadays the death rates are higher than the birthrates."

Even though it sounded malignant, the Doctor was sure he could whip something up. He had the whole world in his hands, literally.

"How old are you, Rose?" He could already guess she was in her early twenties, but he could remember the many times that his judgement was far off from the truth. He could almost cringe at the time that he confused the young queen of Celestros IV as being an elder.

Pursing her lips, she had a humorous glint in her eyes, always taking grim situations with a tablespoon of laughter.

"It's not polite to ask a lady her age."

"Who said I was polite?"

Smiling sadly, she slowly laid down on the examining table. "20, I'm 20 years old. 10 more years to live my life, but I already feel dead." Turning onto her side, he couldn't see her face anymore, but instead her shoulders shaking. Wrapping her arms around herself, he could already see how she was collapsing on herself; he's felt that way sometimes too. But he didn't have time to wallow in self-pity.

"I can help you, if you want."

"They always say that-"

"Who?" Sitting beside her, he laid a hand on her shoulder.

"The doctors give me false hope, so I don't expect much anymore." She reached behind her and grasped behind her and held her hand. The Doctor felt hurt that she would think such a thing; he'd always help her. "Thanks for trying to comfort me, but I don't have the time or money for your magic creams, pills or potions..." Her voice ended the statement with a hint anger, and he felt like she had not only given up on her life, but hope.

"No, I will save you if it's the last thing I do."

"If I know you, and I know you quite well, you'll leave me behind eventually. And honestly, that's okay, because I like change too." Turning around, she faced his with her cheeks flushed and her eyes red with dry tears. "Just don't promise me things that won't happen, I've had enough."

"I won't ever leave you behind!"

"Why are you so intent on being with me, we just met!"

"Because you make me better!" Before he could put another word out, Rose gave him a bemused look. Coming around the table, she glared him in the eye.

"Was I admiring a stalker? Is that it? Come to me before I die so you can get what you want?"

"What?! No,"

"Take me back home."

"Rose, I'm afraid I can't do that."

"And I'm afraid you can," Grabbing his hand, she pulled him out of the med bay, and began to try finding the console room. She was mumbling to herself the whole time, mostly about the things he said on his show. In fact, she always patted the TARDIS walls, probably because she heard him say on his show that it was important to create a bond with a sentient ship.

He should've shut his gob for once, just one time in his very long life.

_Come on old girl, cloak the room, please... _This was his final outcry to keep Rose shut out. Once she reached the control room, if she reached the control room, she'd see the papers all over the place with writing all over them. His plan was in the console room, and if Rose cracked into the code, a massive paradox would generate.

Although at first it felt like the TARDIS wouldn't actually listen to him, he felt her murmurs in his mind.

She'd lead Rose to a different control room, fashion it like her current one, and make the groaning sounds for show. This way the Doctor would have time to somewhat explain what is going on.

Abruptly, Rose halted and stared him hard in the eye.

"I've seen you long enough to know that look, you ain't fooling no one."

"What?!" She gave him a look that made him feel shivers running down his spine; maybe she would slap him soon enough, he wouldn't be surprised. The biggest problem with this body, and it wasn't the weak wrists or the bad skin, was that the face could be read like an open book. He has heard from many that he had a vast range of expressions, which could be a good and a bad thing. Mostly bad.

"It's the look that you do when you're up to no good!"

"All my intentions are pure, I swear on my hearts."

"But they aren't honest. Look, I know you mean well, but could please grant me this and take me back home, I'd like to die on my home planet. Sure, Barcelona sounds nice, and so does Relekus III, but I never thought this through."

He really did want to take her back home, he really did, but he just couldn't. If he screwed this up, he would never forgive himself. This was his reward.

She was _his._

"This is home, Rose. You are home, and you're safe, please just stay here and listen to me." Her face had slightly softened, as he was pleading with her. It almost looked genuine.

With a voice hard, she shut him out.

"No, I had enough of listening to everyone."

Leaving him, she continued walking away from him, and this time he'd let her go. If she thought she had her way, then it was kind of a compromise. He'd let her have her moment of power, but that didn't mean he'd let her completely out of her grasp.

Holding his breath, and talking off his shoes, he followed her. The corridor that they were currently walking down was endless, at least to most species. It would take at least a million light-years to reach the end, and even if time was slowed down on the TARDIS, not many would live to see the end of it.

He was never one to use force willingly, but in this case, he had no choice. She couldn't get her way, at least not now.

Once they were out of the woods, he would give her everything she wanted. Well, as much as he could, which was nearly everything.

Taking the bottle out of his huge pockets, he crept up behind her. Sure, she may be sharp, but she didn't have the superior senses of a Gallifreyan. If she were to creep up on him, he would notice it as she was a few feet away from him.

Just as he was about to spray the concoction, she turned around and slapped him. Stupid, stupid; he let go of his breath a few feet away...

"You daft, ninny, alien! You breathe so hard when you're thinking, I could've heard you from miles away!" She huffed and she puffed, and he didn't think she was so innocent. In fact, he would go as far as saying she was the _big bad wolf. _

"I don't know why you're refusing my help-"

"Maybe I don't want to live, have you ever thought that in your humongous head of yours?" Her hurt was palpable; he's always felt like that, at least, before he knew what was to come in his future.

All he could do was gather her in his arms, and hold her tightly, as if her broken pieces would just meld back together.

"I know I've taken you against your will, but it's because I love you and I don't want you hurt."

The look on her face told him that she could've slapped him again, but she didn't. If only she'd repeat the words, just like she did when he saw her before with himself.

"Listen, I don't know why you feel that way, but I'm really glad that you wanna help, okay? I really like you too... Even though I'm angry that you've practically taken me hostage."

He was about to pull her in for another hug.

"For Rassilon's sake, put the bloody bottle down!"

Oh, this was going to be fun.

* * *

"What are you poking into me now?"

After numerous attempts of coaxing, and some chips, the Doctor had convinced Rose let him help her. Right now, they were in the med bay, and he was trying to send some nanogenes into her system to asses the composition of the disease inside her.

"Just a bit of extra help, nothing you should worry about."

"Oi! Don't start that with me, it's going to be in my body, I'd like to know what it is, mister!"

"Fine, fine, don't get your knickers in a twist... They're just some nanogenes I programmed myself..."

"So I have mini robots swarming inside of me?"

"Yeah,"

"Okay," She laid back down on the bed, which was considerably comfortable. The Doctor would place her here so he could monitor her, and so that the TARDIS would have a little extra time making her a nice room.

"You claw it out of me, and all I get is an 'okay'?"

"Yeah, and it would be nice to know what the hell is wrong with me."

"Especially that, I suppose..." Of all the things his future self could give, he just _could__n't _give him the cure, now could he?

"Not only that, but once we find a cure, I want to help all the others, yeah?"

"Always thinking about others, aren't you?"

"I guess-" Yawning, she stretched like a cat and curled up on her side. Thankfully, no needles or needed to be used, because he had all the painless technology that was available. He didn't want to unintentionally hurt her if he was given the chance not to.

"Don't sleep just yet, I still need to observe you. Once you sleep, it all shuts down."

"But I'm so tired, can't you do it tomorrow?"

"There is no tomorrow here. There is no later, or before, but I need to do this now." Turning around on the spinny chair he brought with him, he stared at the computer that was rapidly feeding him information. Most of the figures looked fine, but every now and then something looked a bit questionable. At this point it seemed that all he could do was wait, but he didn't have that much time on his hands.

Maybe some investigating of his own would do the trick.

Putting on his smart spectacles, he got to work.

"Rose, when have you been feeling the worst, and I mean absolute worst?"

"The past week has been pretty crappy, I'd say one of the most painful."

"Is there anything that triggers how you feel, by any chance?"

"It gets really bad when I'm sad or angry. The pain can become paralyzing, and the past week it's been on and off. I got angry at my dad a lot, and I was stressed about work-" The Doctor was starting to formulate an idea of what was going on.

"Tell me, did the women of your family have any types of depression?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose."

"I think I know what's wrong with you, Rose. I don't think you're going to be to happy."

* * *

"So the only way I can live is if I _live?"_

"Pretty much," The Doctor was multitasking; glancing at the computer screen every now and then, while storing away medical equipment. It turned out that a Time Lord brain could beat a computer at solving a problem.

It could have been the motivation behind it, but he didn't care. He has observed the problem, and found a solution.

"But how? My life in the slums isn't much of a 'happy' situation."

"Now the TARDIS isn't garbage, I thought you knew that."

"I'm not talking about the TARDIS, I'm talking about home!"

She regretted saying those words, even though they were true. After the statement came out of her mouth, the Doctor seized up and stopped working. Lashing out in anger wouldn't be surprising, at least, if he'd done it. She's seen him do it many times on his documentary, but as he said, this moment was now. Not the past or the future, but right here.

"Rose, the TARDIS is your home, whether you like it or not." Turning around with his shoulder's sagging, he sat down next to her on the bed. "You may not understand it now, but the thing is, I don't want you to. Could you please just trust me for once?"

"It's not everyday that your favorite television personality comes and steals you away..."

Sighing, he just laid down next to her, with his head resting on his hand. "You can sleep now,"

"You can't divert my attention from this, I don't have a short span." The one thing she absolutely hated was when people tried to make decisions for her. She was always an independent person, so at times she would get snappy when people tried to fuss over her.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Thank you, now could you please tell me what's going on?"

"All I can tell you is that you and me, we're on the same boat now." Getting up from the bed, he dropped a goodnight kiss on her forehead, and left the room.

Rose tried to get up to follow him, but each time she reached the door, the knob would disappear. As if that could be the only thing that was pestering her, now the Doctor had answered her question only to leave her with more. What could he possibly mean by that? There were so many scenarios that could fit the case, some bad, and some even worse.

She concluded that it would have to be though over later; she was exhausted. Once she reached the bed, she could literally drop dead. Many nights back home- back in London- were like this, after working hours at the factory.

It would take some time to understand that her life had a new chapter.

Why did it have to be a huge book?

* * *

The Doctor was upset with himself, and it certainly wasn't the first time.

He hated not being able to confide in her, when he really needed her. The problem was, she was on his mind, and he couldn't tell her why. He wondered when his future self would come to visit again.

What he could use right now was a few pointers. How would he ever set his future into place?

Walking back and forth in his room, he hoped that he would tire out. He hasn't slept for months, and somehow he wasn't tired, regardless of his Gallifreyan sleeping cycle, which was about once or twice a month.

He had hoped that sleep would settle his nerves, but it hadn't before, so why would it now?

Tea! That's what he could try, tea.

Running to the kitchen, which was put far away so he could tire himself more, he ran to his tea machine and ordered some. If there was one thing that was great about traveling the universe, it was getting useless inventions.

All he needed to do was get a mug, courtesy of the TARDIS.

Just before the cup reached his lips, a screeching noise filled his ears. The pain he felt in his head was unbearable, and he instantly dropped his cuppa, and fell to the floor clutching his head.

He'd felt this before.

Soon he'd be okay, he'd be fine. As long as she was there, he would do anything.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, love." Hands stroked his hair back from his face. He felt another pair of hands take the hands away from his head, hands he's never felt before.

When he looked up, he saw Rose. Well, a slightly older Rose at that, and behind her was himself. The most interesting part was the child that was holding his hands. _It couldn't be._

"Just thought we should've dropped in, cause I know the quagmire you're going through, well, because I'm you..." His older self said, as he picked pieces of the cup off of the floor. The child helped, and the Doctor swore he looked so familiar.

"Yeah, well thanks for the migraine too."

"Oh suck it up, you can stop it if you put a shield up," The child retorted, and set the pieces in the garbage. Rose was trying not to laugh, but she failed and let out barks of laughter. His older self slowly smiled, seeing that his wife was happy.

"And who are you?" Instantly, Rose stopped laughing, and stared at the boy with a pleading look in her eyes. _Don't tell him, don't tell him. _The child opened his mouth, and looked like he was about to say something, but his future self instantly cut in.

"No one of importance-" The child looked like he was about to cry, but the future Doctor finished the sentence. "At least, not yet. But right now, that isn't the only thing you should be concerned about... We need to talk. Rose, Theta, if you could excuse us for just a moment?"

Rose and the boy walked out of the room, leaving the Doctor with himself. _Theta, his nickname from the Academy._

"I'm assuming it's been a while since you last saw me?" The Doctor got up from the floor, holding a hand to his right temple and massaging it. It wouldn't make a difference, but he was going to do it anyways.

"Well, yeah." The other Doctor rocked back and forth on his heels, looking around the kitchen. "It's been a long time since we've had this decor, I miss it, actually,"

"Is that all you came here for, to talk about kitchens?" He growled, blaming it on his pain. Opening the freezer, he took an ice pack that was shaped like a hat, and set it on his head. He could've just put up a mental block, but he was so unfocused that he decided to take it easy. Jumping onto the kitchen counter, he waited to hear what _he _had to say.

"Not exactly, maybe later. I was hoping we could talk about Rose."

"Don't we always?"

"Well, it's necessary. After all, it's a pressing subject."

"Physically, or mentally?"

"Both," _He_ blushed and sat in the booth across from himself. Twiddling with thumbs, it looked like he was making a decision in his mind. Rose was right, he was really easy to read.

"I think I know what's wrong with her; you know what I was thinking now, am I getting warm?"

"Hmm..." Touching his tongue to his upper lip, _he _pulled a banana out of a fruit bowl. "I'd say you're at room temperature." Peeling the banana, he popped chunks into his mouth.

"Can I see her?"

"Of course, but don't interrogate her, you need to do this in your own timeline. We're just here for external support and pointers." Dropping the banana peel in the garbage, he then called Rose and Theta into the room.

"Hello, darling, it is wonderful to see you again!" Rose ran up to him and hugged him so hard he thought his hearts would stop. Theta was picked up by his future self, and was murmuring in his ear. He was glancing at Rose, and continued whispering to _him._

"It is great to see you too, after the whiplash you gave me before..."

"You can't blame me, after all, I was swept away by you." Smiling up at him, she pecked his cheek, and he saw a jealous glare from across the room from _him. _Theta was hugging _his _neck and staring at both of them.

"I have a feeling it well get much worse."

All Rose could do was blush and let go of him. She idly started playing around with her hair, a trait she picked up from himself, and looked up at him with slightly hardened eyes.

"It's not like I chose for _that_ to happen."

"Look, I know, I'm sorry I mentioned it." Even though he was apologizing, he could still she was hurt all that time. It didn't even matter if he mentioned it, it would stay with her for all her life.

"It's okay,"

"Love, I think we should go now. He knows what will happen," _He _said, and Theta jumped out of his arms, only to walk up to Rose and hug her legs. _Git. _What was the use of getting jealous over the little boy?

"Goodbye Rose, Theta." He waved to them as he felt the unbearable pain take over him again.

He finally slept, with the thoughts of the future racing around through his turbulent brain.


End file.
